Do I Have to be a Project Manager to Qualify for the PMP Exam? You do NOT. But you need to have played a management role in projects. Most students fall in this management category. The PMP exam application asks you for your project role, which may be different for different projects. The drop-down choices for your project role on the PMP application say you could be a supervisor, manager, project leader, project manager, educator, consultant, administrator, or other. Note that your role on the project is not the same as your job title. We often play different roles on different projects. It’s great if you are a project manager. The exam content may be a bit easier for you because the exam is from the perspective of a project manager. What if you play a dual role on projects, i.e. some management and some worker? You may still qualify with enough management hours (see below), however, you can't claim your worker hours. For example, figuring out what to build (service to set up or result needed) is management, however, doing the building are worker hours.
PMP Exam Prerequisites & Process Project Experience This would involve directing and leading tasks on projects and by playing a management role by influencing or making project decisions. Experience must be within the last 8 years. Any project or temporary endeavour to make unique products, services or results and this can include incomplete or unsuccessful projects. Can include volunteer or personal projects in any country as long as someone can verify or vouch for your experience If you are audited (see diagram above), a person may need to verify your experience. This person must have played a key project role, but does not have to still be with the organization or company, neither does the person have to have been you superior. To get the 35 hours for PMI PDU’s from self-study using my PMP Mastery PREMIUM System, simply drop me an email (ONLY if you are audited), and I will send you a test paper to complete and email back to me. I will then issue you with a certificate that WILL be accepted by PMI (or your full money back!)
Academic Qualifications From a university: 36 months and 4,500 hours OR From High School: 60 months and 7,500 hours
Some typical project experience examples
Creating a new product, deliverable, or a new service Creating a new procedure Creating a project/business document such as a proposal or business case /plan Gaining new knowledge such as research, or analysis or a training project Creating a new outcome such as a better system, or a merged/reorganized system or process Some form of management or people experience
Proof of this experience Only one percent of PMP applicants get audited so it is highly likely that the proof in your case is not required. You only need to do the above if PMI asks for it. PMI will give you the links to print out your experience sheets which are already filled out with the details you providing in your online exam application form. So ALL you will need to do to prove your experience to PMI, is to get a project member to just sign off on your stated experience. To find out more on proof of experience, go to the PMI website and click on the “Certifications” menu bar
Do you need experience in a particular industry? You do not. A project can take place in ANY industry, and the industry experience you have will be as good as any other. Here is a small selection of industry examples:
Information Technology
Financial Services
Engineering in all its flavours
Utilities
Construction
Business Services/Consulting
Government
Healthcare
Telecom
Education
Manufacturing
Real Estate/Property Management
Creative Design/Marketing
Oil and Gas
Prepare for your PMP Exam with self study and pass at your first try – grab my PMP Mastery System HERE!
Good Luck on your path to become a PMP!
